1. Describe the stasis in the play: where, when, who, what, etc. in a paragraph.
The beginning of the play takes place in Li'l Bit's family home. Throughout the play the setting changes from the car, arestaurant, and a hotel. This takes place from Li'l Bit's eleventh year until she was almost 40. The people involved in How I learned to Drive were Li'l Bit, Peat, female and male greek chorus that represent her family members. The beginning of the play starts out with Li'l having a monologue, then the setting goes straight to a car scene with her and Peck. This is when the audience realised the relationship between Li'l Bit and Peck. This is when the audience becomes uncomfortable with the situation early on.
2. What is the intrusion?
The intrusion was when Li'l Bit was eleven and wanted to learn how to drive. The person who was teaching her was Peck. As he was teaching her to drive, he had her sit on his lap to turn the wheel while he controlled the speed of the car. It seem fine until Peck told Li'l Bit to let him know to go "faster or slower". Then he proceeds to sexually assault Li'l Bit, and she could not do anything about it. This marked the beginning of the abuse throughout her life.
3. What is the unique factor?
The unique factor was that this was the day that Li'l Bit decided to look back on her relationship with Peck
4. What is the dramatic question that should be answered by the end of the play?
The dramatic question that should be answered by the end of the play is "Will Li'l BIt tell someone about the abuse she is going through?" and "How does this relationship affect her overall?"
5. Provide an illustration of the two kinds of exposition that the play has in it.
The first kind of exposition was when we first learn about Peck being her uncle. In the beginning scene where Li'l Bit and Peck were sitting in the car together, Li'l Bit would avoid letting the audience know Peck was her uncle. The audience does not know Peck is her uncle until Li'l Bit is saying it in order to let the audience know how uncomfortable she feels. This is also when she tries to convince Peck to let them go back home. The second kind of exposition was during the 1969 family dinner. This is when the audience learns the personality of the rest of her family. The most memorable was Li'l Bit's grandfather because this is when it is implied that he is sexist and racist. This is implied when the topic of Li'l Bit going to college is brought up. He believes that women are only good for sex, which is supported when he stated that shakespeare isn't going to help Li'l Bit lay on her back in the dark. It was implied that Li'l Bit's grandfather was racist was due to the fact that when Li'l Bit was describing how her grandfather would be greeted by a beautiful black women before the gates of heaven. Because of the time period that this was taking place it's easier to tell that he was a racist =.
6. Identify the most theatrical moment in the play and of what importance it seems to be.
To me, the most theatrical moment in the play was the scene where Li'l Bit and Peck were in a hotel room towards the end of the play. This was when Li'l Bit decided to see Peck because he came to visit her for her 18th birthday. She was there to tell him that they shouldn't see each other unless other family members were around. While she was there she drank a lot of champagne as well as convinced Peck to drink as well. This was the most theatrical moment to me because it seemed like Li'l Bit finally realized how bad the situation was. But then Peck convinced Li'l Bit to lay in bed with him. In doing so the chorus person who plays Li'l Bits mother and her aunt caused her to respond to Peck in a certain way. This caused the audience, including me, to rethink how this moment could go. She could either give into the temptation or she could leave him forever. Fortunately she left him for good, even after he proposed. This is important because it shows how their relationship had caused a negative impact on both of them. For example, if someone looks closely they can tell Li'l Bit might be becoming an alcoholic. It seems like she drinks in order to stay calm during the situation. This is seen through Li'l Bit constantly gulping down the champagne.
7. List some of the themes of the play.
Some themes of the play include sexual abuse, awareness, alcoholism and body issues/shaming.
8. Choose the character of Li'l Bit in the show and articulate what she wants and what are some obstacles that stand in the way of her getting what she wants?
When Li'l Bit was younger, all she wanted was to learn how to drive and go to college. This was so she could feel independent and accomplished in her life. Some obstacles that stood in her way of going to college was her family's attitude about it. Her grandfather believed that she didn't need a college education when she had breast. He also stated that learning shakespeare was not going to help her when she's laying on her back in the dark; implying that a college education was wasted on her when all she needed to do was have sex. Li'l Bit also wanted to learn how to drive. Even though she learned how to drive, her biggest obstacle was learning from Peck. When Peck first tried to teach Li'l Bit how to drive, he ended up sexually assaulting her while she was trying to drive. End the end she got what she wanted, but it came with serious consequences.
9. Describe some possible images in the play and how does the title help us understand the play.
Some possible images in the play was when Peck was talking to Robert about fishing. It was like it was symbolism for what he probably told Li'l Bit when he first sexually assaulted Li'l Bit. He lured her into being alone with him by saying he would teach her how to drive, which is similar to him convincing Robert to go to a treehouse with him. He also proceeded to say "it's our little secret" and "don't tell anyone especially her mom and sister." This is usually what sex offenders would say to their victims. The way the title helps us understand the play is that it directly correlates with Li'l Bit not only learning how to drive, but also learning how to survive life through the ways of driving. She learned how to apply driving to her life and how to get through those harsh moments in her life.
10. Briefly define the family relationships that are examined in the play.
Family relationships in the play shows family that were not very close and family members who could have a tremendous impact on their lives. Throughout the play her family members were not represented as main characters, instead they were portrayed as a greek chorus. It is very easy to tell Li'l Bit is not very close to her immediate family. This is mostly because They would tease her about her body as well as not supporting her decision to want to go to college. The one person who supported her was her Uncle Peck, who was not even blood related. This is really ironic because the man who sexually abused her was the only family member who seemed to care enough about Li'l Bit to realise that college was the one thing she really wanted to do.
The beginning of the play takes place in Li'l Bit's family home. Throughout the play the setting changes from the car, a restaurant, and a hotel. This takes place from Li'l Bit's eleventh year until she was almost 40. The people involved in How I learned to Drive were Li'l Bit, Peat, female and male greek chorus that represent her family members. The beginning of the play starts out with Li'l having a monologue, then the setting goes straight to a car scene with her and Peck. This is when the audience realised the relationship between Li'l Bit and Peck. This is when the audience becomes uncomfortable with the situation early on.
2. What is the intrusion?
The intrusion was when Li'l Bit was eleven and wanted to learn how to drive. The person who was teaching her was Peck. As he was teaching her to drive, he had her sit on his lap to turn the wheel while he controlled the speed of the car. It seem fine until Peck told Li'l Bit to let him know to go "faster or slower". Then he proceeds to sexually assault Li'l Bit, and she could not do anything about it. This marked the beginning of the abuse throughout her life.
3. What is the unique factor?
The unique factor was that this was the day that Li'l Bit decided to look back on her relationship with Peck
4. What is the dramatic question that should be answered by the end of the play?
The dramatic question that should be answered by the end of the play is "Will Li'l BIt tell someone about the abuse she is going through?" and "How does this relationship affect her overall?"
5. Provide an illustration of the two kinds of exposition that the play has in it.
The first kind of exposition was when we first learn about Peck being her uncle. In the beginning scene where Li'l Bit and Peck were sitting in the car together, Li'l Bit would avoid letting the audience know Peck was her uncle. The audience does not know Peck is her uncle until Li'l Bit is saying it in order to let the audience know how uncomfortable she feels. This is also when she tries to convince Peck to let them go back home.
The second kind of exposition was during the 1969 family dinner. This is when the audience learns the personality of the rest of her family. The most memorable was Li'l Bit's grandfather because this is when it is implied that he is sexist and racist. This is implied when the topic of Li'l Bit going to college is brought up. He believes that women are only good for sex, which is supported when he stated that shakespeare isn't going to help Li'l Bit lay on her back in the dark. It was implied that Li'l Bit's grandfather was racist was due to the fact that when Li'l Bit was describing how her grandfather would be greeted by a beautiful black women before the gates of heaven. Because of the time period that this was taking place it's easier to tell that he was a racist =.
6. Identify the most theatrical moment in the play and of what importance it seems to be.
To me, the most theatrical moment in the play was the scene where Li'l Bit and Peck were in a hotel room towards the end of the play. This was when Li'l Bit decided to see Peck because he came to visit her for her 18th birthday. She was there to tell him that they shouldn't see each other unless other family members were around. While she was there she drank a lot of champagne as well as convinced Peck to drink as well. This was the most theatrical moment to me because it seemed like Li'l Bit finally realized how bad the situation was. But then Peck convinced Li'l Bit to lay in bed with him. In doing so the chorus person who plays Li'l Bits mother and her aunt caused her to respond to Peck in a certain way. This caused the audience, including me, to rethink how this moment could go. She could either give into the temptation or she could leave him forever. Fortunately she left him for good, even after he proposed.
This is important because it shows how their relationship had caused a negative impact on both of them. For example, if someone looks closely they can tell Li'l Bit might be becoming an alcoholic. It seems like she drinks in order to stay calm during the situation. This is seen through Li'l Bit constantly gulping down the champagne.
7. List some of the themes of the play.
Some themes of the play include sexual abuse, awareness, alcoholism and body issues/shaming.
8. Choose the character of Li'l Bit in the show and articulate what she wants and what are some obstacles that stand in the way of her getting what she wants?
When Li'l Bit was younger, all she wanted was to learn how to drive and go to college. This was so she could feel independent and accomplished in her life. Some obstacles that stood in her way of going to college was her family's attitude about it. Her grandfather believed that she didn't need a college education when she had breast. He also stated that learning shakespeare was not going to help her when she's laying on her back in the dark; implying that a college education was wasted on her when all she needed to do was have sex. Li'l Bit also wanted to learn how to drive. Even though she learned how to drive, her biggest obstacle was learning from Peck. When Peck first tried to teach Li'l Bit how to drive, he ended up sexually assaulting her while she was trying to drive. End the end she got what she wanted, but it came with serious consequences.
9. Describe some possible images in the play and how does the title help us understand the play.
Some possible images in the play was when Peck was talking to Robert about fishing. It was like it was symbolism for what he probably told Li'l Bit when he first sexually assaulted Li'l Bit. He lured her into being alone with him by saying he would teach her how to drive, which is similar to him convincing Robert to go to a treehouse with him. He also proceeded to say "it's our little secret" and "don't tell anyone especially her mom and sister." This is usually what sex offenders would say to their victims.
The way the title helps us understand the play is that it directly correlates with Li'l Bit not only learning how to drive, but also learning how to survive life through the ways of driving. She learned how to apply driving to her life and how to get through those harsh moments in her life.
10. Briefly define the family relationships that are examined in the play.
Family relationships in the play shows family that were not very close and family members who could have a tremendous impact on their lives. Throughout the play her family members were not represented as main characters, instead they were portrayed as a greek chorus. It is very easy to tell Li'l Bit is not very close to her immediate family. This is mostly because They would tease her about her body as well as not supporting her decision to want to go to college. The one person who supported her was her Uncle Peck, who was not even blood related. This is really ironic because the man who sexually abused her was the only family member who seemed to care enough about Li'l Bit to realise that college was the one thing she really wanted to do.